Chain link wire fabric



Jan. 16, 1934. A. A. G. LAND 1,943,447

CHAIN LINK WIRE FABRIC Filed March 26, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 '5 J 6 5/4) 5/ e J l Z f I 7 7 7 7 /V W /V l V I y is f f /a //4 .v I f .5 f I Z f2.2 5,5/7. i4 d jan. 16, 1934.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IC d March 26 1931 Patented Jan. 16, 1934 NITED STATES PATENT` OFFICE 12 Claims.

Y My invention relates to chain-link wire fabrics, namely fabrics fori/ned of flattened spiral strands (or so-called zig-zag wires) which extend ltransversely of the fabrics with eachvstrand presenting bights at each edge of the zigzag strand and in which consecutive strands are intertwined toform mesh with interlocked bights so that the interlocked bights of ,consecutive .strands afford hinging connections which permit the fabric to be rolled up.

Chain-link wire fabrics have long been popular'for many classes of fence and grilles both because they are easily and cheaply manufactured, because they can readily be rolled up for4 storage and shipment even when made of heavy and stiff wire, because they can easily be spliced to one another without employing auxiliary wire'and without having the joints show, and because any desired length of the fabric can easily and quickly be severed from a roll of such fabric. However, the chain-linkwire fabrics as heretofore in use, which have meshes of a so-called diamond-shape with the sides of the mesh at acute angles to the axisof the strands, cannot be longitudinally tensioned to any considerable degree-as when stretching' such' fabrics between widely spaced fence posts-without distorting the shape `of the meshes and contracting the fabric in width. Consequently, such fabrics have only' been extensively used when it was permissible also to provide stili rails or auxiliary'wires extending longitudinally of the fabric at both 'edges of the fabric, to which the fabriccan be attached so as to be entirely framed by aux iliary stiffening members.

My present invention aims to provide a chainlink wire fabric 'composed of strands having zigzag formations so formed as to afford inter linked portions extending longitudinally of the fabric, which'portions cooperate to take the longitudinal tensioning strains, thereby perm1tting the fabric to be adequately tensicned even whenv made of relatively light wire.

Furthermore, my invention aims to provide easily manufactured and readily intertwined constituent strands for chain-link wire fabrics in which mesh sides formy novel but simple strand portionswhich impartan enhanced longitudinal strength to the fabrics which may also have other forms of meshes and aims to provide strand constructions which will readily permit the number and 'location of these strand portions to be varied within a vwide range and according to the size and shape of meshes Vand can readily be formed to afford wide Variations both in the relative length and width, and in the contour of the resulting meshes so as to produce ornamental fabrics of widely yvarying appearance; and which will also permit such fabrics to withstand much more severe longitudinal tensioning than has been permissible with chain-link fabrics of the diamond-mesh type heretofore employed.

Also, my invention aims to provide upright chain-link wire fabrics also composed. of consecutively intertwined strands, but including meshes which present atleast six bights interlocked with adjacent meshes; thereby permitting wire of a given diameter and rigidity to be used effectively in fabrics presenting meshes of relatively great height in proportion to the width of the meshes.

AAlso, my invention aims to provide constituent strands for upright chain-link wire fabrics which when consecutively intertwined will afford meshes each having more than two pairs of inter- .locking bights and other meshes having only two interlocking bights and which may include meshes having four interlocking bights.

Still further and also more detailed objects will appear from the following specification and from the accompanying drawings, in which drawings Fig. l is an elevation of a portion of a Wire fabric embodying my invention in which the major mesh in each series have their bases in alinement and extending longitudinally of the fabric and in which the strand portions extending from the apices of these mesh are in alinement and also extend longitudinally. of the fabric.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of one of the constituent strands of the fabric of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side Velevation of the strand shown in Fig. 2, taken from the right-hand side of the Strand. v y

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of an alternative strand formation for strands producing the meshes of Fig. 1.

Fig. `5 is a plan view of the strand of Fig. 2.y

Fig. 6 is an elevation of a portion of a chainlinkwire fabric of the ordinary diamond-mesh type with the strands formed to afford the same height and spread as the major meshes in Fig.

1, with dotted'lines showing the distortion of the mesh by longitudinal tensioning in the direction of P.

Fig. 7; is an elevation of a portion of the fabric of Fig. 6 in which the mesh is distorted to a greater degree, showing the larger size object D2 that will pass through this mesh as compared with the size of the object C that will pass through the same mesh before it has been distorted by a longitudinal tensioning.

Fig. 8 is an elevation of a portion of a wire fabric embodying my invention in which the major mesh in each series each has two apices and in which the strand portions extend from these apices longitudinally of the fabric.

Fig. 9 is an elevation of a portion of a wire fabric embodying my invention in which the strands are formed to present maior meshes having eight bights.

Fig. 10 is an elevation of a portion of a wire fabric embodying my invention in which the bight spacings in the upper mesh series are equal and the bight spacings in the lower mesh series are unequal, thereby forming different shaped major and secondary mesh.

Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic elevation of a portion of a wire fabric embodying my invention with the mesh series also including deltoidshaped mesh.

Fig. 12 is an elevation of a portion of a wire fabric embodying my invention which includes strands having side edge bights alternately on each side. l

Fig. 13 is an elevation of a portion of a wire fabric embodying my invention in which the maior mesh in each series each has two bases which extend longitudinally of the fabric.

Fig. 14 is a diagrammatic elevation of a portion of my fabric in which the upper mesh series includes two longitudinal rows of major mesh and the lowei` mesh series includes one longitudinal row of major mesh and both mesh series include additional deltoid-shaped mesh.

Fig. 15 is a diagrammatic elevation of a portion of my fabric in which each mesh series has more than one row of major mesh and in which the major mesh are of different heights and shapes.

Fig. 16 is a diagrammatic elevation of a portion of my fabric which includes diamond-shaped mesh in one mesh series.

Fig. 17 is a diagrammatic elevation of a portion of my fabric in which each mesh series has different height and different shaped major mesh.

Fig. 18 is a digrammatic elevation of a portion of my fabric in which each mesh series includes deltoid-shaped mesh.

Fig. 19 is a diagrammatic elevation of a portion of my fabric in which one mesh series has i two different height and shaped major mesh and also diamond-shaped mesh.

Fig. 28 is a diagrammatic elevation of a portion of my fabric in which one mesh series has two longitudinal rows of major mesh which are the same height and shape and which also includes a row of diamond-shaped mesh.

Fig. 21 is a diagrammatic elevation of a portion of my fabric in which each mesh series has only one longitudinal row of mesh legs and which also includes diamond-shaped mesh.

In accomplishing the purposes of my invention I employ spiral strands transversely of the fabric intertwisted through each other to form rows of mesh longitudinally of the fabric, with the mesh of certain longitudinal rows having strand portions or mesh sides which extend longitudinally of the fabric and which will take the longitudinal tensioning strains. With the ordinary diamondshaped mesh, when the fabric is tensioned longitudinally and the mesh elongated longitudinally the mesh also contract transversely of the fabric.

Fig. 6 shows a mesh of ordinary diamond-shape of the same spread and height as the mesh of Fig. l with the dotted lines showing the distor tion of this mesh when tensioned longitudinally 0r in the direction of P. If this mesh is tensioned so that the angles between the legs are square angled the effective mesh opening becomes larger as shown by comparing the size object C of mesh in Fig. 6 with the size of ob ject D2 in mesh of Fig. 7, which mesh has the same length mesh sides or legs as mesh of Fig. 6. I overcome this objection by employing mesh shapes which include mesh having strand portions or mesh sides which extend longitudinally Of the fabric and which will withstand the 1ongitudinal tensioning strains and which will materially reduce the extent to which the mesh in my fabric can be distorted.

Illustrative of such a simple type of my wire fabric as shown in Fig. 1, which is composed of flattened spiral strands formed as shown in front elevation in Fig. 2 and in side elevation in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, each two consecutive strands are relatively laterally reversed in the assembled fabric. formation of the strand section V is continuously repeated. This formation includes a bight 4 at the right-hand edge of the strand, a strand leg 5 leading from the bight 4 to a bight 6 `at the In each of these strands of Fig. 2 the left-hand edge of the strand and a strand leg 7 extending from bight 6 to bight 8 atthe righthand edge of the strand and a V-shaped mesh side formed by portions 9 and 11 which has its major portion between the line L (along which all of the bights at the left-hand edge of the strand aline) and the line Y along which all of the bights at the right hand edge of the strand aline and with the bight l0 connecting the strand portions 9 and 1l.

Also the consecutive bights 4 and 8 at the right- 'd hand edge of the strand of Fig. 2 are between two consecutive bights 6 at the left-hand edge of the strand, and the strand portions (or legs) 9 and 11 extend from the bights 4 and 8 part way toward the left-hand edge of the strand.

As shown in side elevation, Fig. 3, the alternate strand legs '7 and 11 are in the same plane A, and the legs 5 and 9 are in the same plane B.

As the bight 10 does not interlock with an adjacent strand in the assembled fabric this bight 'l may be eliminated as shown in side elevation Fig. 4, and the strand portions 10 and 11 may have their major portions between the planes A and B and extending from plane A to plane B.

The legs 5 which extend from bights 4 to bights between bights 8 and 4 also form one-half of the outline of a secondary mesh S having only two bight corners, namely the upper and lower corners. The apices or upper parts of the major mesh M have bights 6 which connect the strand portions or legs 5 which are in alinement and these portions also Iformt the Abase fof-@the major mesh M-in-anadjacentmesh: series.- The'legs 5 are'y connected fby' bights v6 fto legs f'l-which-to'- gether with the strand legs form the fours" vbight mesh I which istriangularjshapedu The bightspacings C as shown in` Fig;..2'are equal and Yfthebight spacings D-v are equal.

of the strand and bight may-vary.`

The strands are continuously spirale'd infthex same'direction'as shownin Fig-5, whichv is a planview of the'strand, andwhen these'rstrands aref' assembled by intertwining one'through thefother and interlocking the side edge bights of each.'

strand with the sidefedge-bights'oftheadjacent 'end o-r the base of each major mesh M in the same series has strand portions or legs 5 'extend- 'ing from interlocked bights 6 in alinement with each other and vlongitudinally of the fabric so that each mesh series is bordered by -a longitudinal rowl ofV mesh legs 5 which, in theassembled fabric, form continuous strand portions which' are in alinement longitudinally of the fabricand which' take the longitudinal tensioning strains,

The `longitudinal Vrows of strand4` portions -5 which are spaced from both longitudinalV edges of the fabric are common to twoy meshfseries or meshsections.V For examplainFig. 1 the 'second- `vlongitudin'allrow of strand 1portions' 5, counting? from the top, is common` to lboththe top mesh series and the meshA series next to thetop;

Figs. and 18 show'a fabric in which' only oneend of fthe major mesh M has interlockedbights from :which the strand portions extend'n aline-'- ment with' each other and longitudinallyiof 'the fabric, so-that the fabric will: have the `'greater number of the strand portions extendingat'acute angles -to the longitudinal edges 'of the fabric; with eachV mesh series includingseveral'i-varieti'es -of mesh shapes.

The bightsi, 6 and'8fofifeach` strand .of Fig; 1 are so formed that when the assembled 'fabricis' tensioned the major-portions of all-'the strands willv be approximately in two-parallel' planes as shown byithe lines A- andv Bin Fi'g`.z3,tor may have portions of the strands (as :for example-strand portions 9 and 11 in Fig.r 4) whichextendfbe'- tween the two planes yin which the majorf'portions of vthestrands of the-fabric are located.-

While I have-described the strand legs or mesh sides as being straight, I do not want tobe limitedv as to the` shape of these legsor mesh sides,ras thesemayrvary as sho-wn in] the right-'hand-row ofv major meshfM in Fig..1, which'shows the-mesh sides (between the interlocked'` bights) withbent portions, whichin avddition'to producing an ornamental effect also'reduce `the effective-mesh open-- ing-.as shown bycornparing thesize of the roundobject Elin-'the right-'hand row-'of'mesh with the roundv object G as shown'- ini thedeft-handrow of meshl. A

While VI have -describedi-ithe meshffoflmyffabric as having unequal bight spacings as shown bythe However, the spacings C and D 'are unequal, but these spacings may vary or may beequall;I So also 'the space T between line vY at 'the right-hand fedgef to-belimited'fasto the'spacings of these bights, astheyrmay vary,v as for` examplethebightspae'- different shapes.

may Abe-formedto'have two apices,-as for example;

Figi# 10.shows a fabric in which each major Ymesh-vhasftwo apiceslso that theV mesh have at bothv the upper yand lowerapices strand portions 5 extending-in opposite directions and inalinement longitudinally of-the1fabric, 4thereby forming-in each` meshrseries a longitudinal row of six-bight majormesh M; a longitudinal-row of' two-,bight major and-secondary mesh may vary :by changing longitudinalfrow of vmajor mesh M and secondary meshi S offlligrhzy So also the major mesh M may have both Ytop-,and bottom mesh sides 5 in alinement longitudinally of f the fabric as 'shown in Fig.. 13,-so that thecthree bights at each end of each mesh areapproximately in alinementlongitudinallyofwthe fabric,- forming mesh series in which,- the i secondary z mesh S' areapproximately the `same Vheight `as the majorY mesh- 'and lwhich include a longitudinalrow-of four-bight auxiliary meshfwhich are 'alternatelyupright and inverted- Moreover, the major mesh vin my fabric may have rmorefthan six bights, as Fig,- 9 shows a portion-fof :myfabric similar to the'fabric of- Fig.- 1 in which the majorimesh M1 have' eight interlockedv bights formingain` eachY mesh series.v two longitudinalrrows oftwo-bight secondary mesh S and'onlyone row of feight-bight major mesh M and one lrowfof four-bight auxiliary -mesh I.-

Also; I :downot'want to be limited lin the use ofV these/strands, as they maybe used in connection with' strands havingzthebights on each side edge alternating, as for examplejlfig'. 12-shows a portion ofafabricin'which strands W, which have sideledge bightsalternating,l are interwoven with my newfstrands Z,` which have pluralities of consecutive side edge bights.

Moreover,v I do" not wantwto be limited in the quantitylof the major mesh used in amesh-series onfto-.theshape of' th'ese mesh or to the'shape'or quantity `ofi-the *secondaryror the auxiliaryl meshv ortof'the usefofadditional mesh in :the fabric,l asmany 'changes may-be made 'without departingffromthelspirit'of fmy inventiomas for example,.Figs.`-11, 14,115 and 18 shows portions of my fabrics-in whichidelt'oid-shapedr mesh X are in'- cluded-'in'ithe'mes'hseries; while Figs. 16,:19,'20 and 21 show fabrics in which the imesh series include diamond-shaped mesh R; Iigt-4 17 showsa portion'- 1 of myif fabric in which. three different shaped major-meshfM" are used; and Fig. 19 shows a`1porti'on'ofmy fabric'in which theupper meshfseriesrincludes a` longitudinal row of da; mond-shaped mesh' R`whi1eV in the lower mesh seresithese mesh-arenotincluded.' Also, Fig; 21 showsa fabric iniwhi'ch each meshrseries has only one longitudinalrow-of mesh' legs 5VwhichV take the longitudinal tensioning strainsiand the fab:-A ricl also-includes longitudinalV rows of fourbight meshR:

It 'iwi-1l also; be #obvious rfrom :the drawings that I i canil provide-l' the 'I severely." tensionable' strand ings :D,C1 and'C2 in upper series of mesh of Fig...` lrareequal,v while in' theglower mesh seriesthef bght'spaci-ngsfDl, H and I-I-1v are unequal, so that the l`fsec0ndary-mesh^ S in the assembled v:fabrichave lunequal length sides, f and bothy the major meShfM and secondary meshv S ineach series have Funthermore,'1 dov not twant to be limited-as lto the shape ofi the maj ormesh,as these major mesh 1 seeondary'fmesh` vS and two Arows of four-bightV auxiliary'mesh` I. Also, the shapeof both 'the the formof the mesh sides, as shown bythe vupper portions in fabrics having widely different shapes of meshes, as shown for example by a comparison sioning is effected and the relative spacing be-` tween these lines may be varied-as shown for example by comparing Figs. 10, 11, 13, 1'7 and 18. Moreover, the manner in which the free ends of the-adjacent strands are secured to each other at the longitudinal edges of the fabric is immaterial as far as my present invention is concerned, since this invention in its major aspects aims to provide means which will permit a longitudinal tensioning of the fabric also along one or more lines spaced from the lateral edges of the fabric, while still having the advantages of using mesh shapes which present at least six interlocked bights, and which fabric may also include mesh shapes having only four interlocked bights.

I am aware that some heretofore proposed wire fabrics have been formed so as to present highly tension-resisting longitudinal edges while having the entire remaining portion of the fabric highly resilient and incapable of any considerable tensioning. I am also aware that wire fabrics have heretofore been manufacturedV by consecutively intertwining zigzag wire strands; butA these strands invariably have all of the zigzag formationsin each strand counterparts of each other, and have the consecutive spacings between bights atthe same edge of any single strand equal, it having been commonly assumed that zigzag strands could only be intertwined when they have the just recited characteristics which cause each two intertwined strands to border meshes of uniform resistance to tensioning.

However, I have discovered that zigzag strands can also be consecutively intertwined into a fabric when the zigzag formations in each strand are not all counterparts of one another, when the consecutive spacings of the bights at one edge of a single strand are not all equal, and when the alternate legs of the strand are not all parallel to one another. By employing this discovery, I am able to use consecutively intertwined strands as the entire constituents of wire fabrios in which the resistance to a tensioning of the fabric (in a direction at right angles to the axes ofthe strands) can be greatly varied in diiferent fabric portions spaced transversely of the fabric, whereby the fabrics will present either longitudinal tensioning lines (each composed of s'ngle legs of consecutive strands) or longitudinal rows of highly tension-resisting meshes; whereby the remaining meshes can be formed so that strains on them will be partly transmitted to these tensioning lines or rows of higher-tension-resisting meshes; and whereby the appearance of such wire fabrics can be greatly varied and improved.

While I have shown several forms of this fabric and mesh arrangement, I do not want to be limited as to the arrangements or number of mesh rows or series of mesh rows, nor to the details of construction, or shapes of the mesh sides, or to the shape of the side edge bights of the strands since many changes may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention or from the appended claims. l

Furthermore, it is to be understoodthat the term mesh side or leg in the appended claims is used to designate the entire portion of a single strand which is interposed between any two consecutive bights of a strand; and that the term bight is used to designate the bends of adjacent strands which are interlocked in the assembled fabric.

I claim as my invention:-

1. A chain-link type of wire fabric comprising consecutively intertwined spiral strands of zigzag formation inv elevation, each presenting a row of alined bights at each longitudinal edge of the zigzag strand, the said formation being such that two consecutive strands border meshes presenting at least six inter-locked bights, with the strand portions which extend from the interlocked bights at one end of each such mesh in alinement with each other longitudinally of the fabric.

` 2. A chain-link type of wire fabric comprising consecutively intertwined spiral strands of zigzag formation in elevation, each strand presenting a row of alined bights at each longitudinal edge of the zigzag strand, the said formation being such that two consecutive strands border meshes presenting not less than six inter-locked bights, each such mesh having at one end interlocked bights from which .strand portions extend in alinement with each other longitudinally of the fabric.

3. A chain-link type of wire fabric comprising consecutively intertwined strands having a zigzag formation in elevation, each strand presenting a row ofY alined bights at each edge of the strand, which bights in adjacent strands are interlocked; the zigzag formation being such that intertwined strands form meshesVincluding major meshes, each having a plurality of pairs of laterally disposed mesh side bights interposed between mesh end bights, and secondary meshes, each of which Y has two end bights but no side bights, the said major meshes each having at one end of the mesh interlocked bights from which strand portions extend in alinement longitudinally of the fabric.

4. A chain-link type of wire fabric comprising consecutively intertwined spiral strands of zigzag formation in elevation, the said'formation being such that the strands border Ymeshes arranged in sections longitudinally of the fabric with strand portions which are common to consecutive sections extending in alinment with each other iongitudinally of the fabric, the said mesh sections including meshes having six interlocked bights.

5, A chain-link type of wire fabric comprising consecutively intertwined spiral strands of zigzag formation in'elevation, each strand presenting a row of alined bights at each longitudinal edge of the zigzag strand, the said formation being such that the strands border meshes extending longitudinally of the fabric which include meshes having at least six interlocked bights, each such six-bight mesh having at one end intel-locked bights from which strand portions extend in alinement with each other and longitudinally of the fabric.

6. A chain-link type of wire fabric comprising consecutively intertwined strands having a zigzag formation in elevation and presenting a row of alined bights at each edge of the strand, which bights in adjacent strands are interlocked; the zigzag formation being such that the intertwined strands form meshes arranged in sections longitudinally of the fabric which include meshes having at least six interlocked bights, the fabric also including strand portions which extend longitudinally of the fabric and are in alinement with each other. Y

7,. A strand fora chain-link wire fabric, comprising a wire formed into a zigzag flattened spiral presenting bights at each longitudinal edge of the strand, with strand portions connecting these bights, some of which portions cross the longitudinal axis of the strand at right angles; the strand being formed to dispose pluralities of consecutive bights at one edge of the strand between two consecutive bights at the other edge of the strand.

8. A strand for a chain-link type of wire fabric, comprising a flattened spiral strand of zigzag formation presenting pluralities of groups of bights, the bights of each group being consecutive at the same edge of the strand and alining longitudinally of the strand with each other and with bights of the other groups at the same edge of the strand, each such group of bights being disposed between two consecutive bights which are disposed at the other edge of the strand, the strand portions connecting the consecutive bights of each group being offset from the strand edge along which these bights aline and toward the opposite edge of the strand; the strand also including strand portions which cross the longitudinal axis of the strand at right angles.

9. A strand for a chain-link type of wire fabric, comprising a wire formed into a flattened spiral of zigzag formation presenting bights at each longitudinal edge of the strand, with each two bights connected by a strand portion, one of which portions crosses the axis of the strand at right angles; the strand being formed to dispose pluralities of consecutive bights in the strand at one edge of the strand between two consecutive bights at the other edge of the strand, the strand portion between the first-named two consecutive bights extending part way towards the opposite edge of the strand.

10. A strand for a chain-link wire fabric, comprising a wire formed into a attened spiral presenting bights alining respectively at each longitudinal edge of the strand, with strand portions connecting each two bights, the strand being formed so as to dispose pluralities of consecutive bights in the strand at one edge of the strand between consecutive bights at the other edge of the strand, the strand including a portion connecting two consecutive bights and which crosses the axis of the strand at rights angles.

1l. A chain link type of wire fabric comprising consecutively intertwined flattened spiral strands of zigzag formation in elevation, each presenting a row of alined bights at each longitudinal edge of the zigzag strand and strand legs connecting these bights, each strand including a portion in which two bights at one edge of the strand are disposed between two consecutive bights at the opposite edge of the strand and each such portion including at least Aone strand leg extending in a direction at right angles to the general axis of the strand, whereby these portions of two adjacent strands form a mesh presenting at least six interlocked bights, with the strand legs which extend from the interlocked bights at one end of the mesh extending longitudinally of the fabric.

12. A chain link type of wire fabric comprising consecutively intertwined strands having a zigzag formation in elevation, each strand presenting a row of alined bights at each edge of the strand, which bights in adjacent strands are interlocked; each strand including a portion in which pluralities of consecutive bights at one edge of the strand are disposed between two consecutive bights at the other edge of the strand and each such portion also including a strand leg extending in a direction at right angles to the general axis of the strand so that such strand portions in adjacent strandsform meshes having at least six interlocked bights, with the strand legs which extend from the interlocked bights at one end of each such mesh extending in a direction at right angles to the general axes of the strands.

ARTHUR A. G. LAND. 

